Trump announces end to North Korean nuclear threat

NORTH KOREA: President Donald Trump posted in a tweet upon returning to Washington from Singapore: “There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea.” The communique signed by Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after yesterday’s historic sit-down, though, offers no concrete steps toward dismantling Kim’s nuclear program but pledges further negotiations led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Christians are the “No. 1 hostile class” for the Kim regime in North Korea, Open Doors President David Curry told WORLD Radio, with 50,000-80,000 Christians in North Korean labor camps. Trump and Kim did not address human rights during the summit, though in his State of the Union message five months ago, Trump said, “no regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship in North Korea.”

CORRECTION: I reported on Monday three Americans remaining in prison in North Korea, forgetting (I know, my bad) they were released in May.

UNITED STATES:The Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Dallas passed yesterday what experts describe as a “strong” resolution (see Resolution 5) calling for “a just and compassionate path to legal status” that maintains “the priority of family unity.” A growing number of Baptist leaders are challenging Justice Department policies that have led to separating at least 700 children, including infants, from their families since last October.

The United States has separated parents from minors before. But the definition of “illegal” has expanded under Attorney General Jeff Sessions—whose recent directives and “Zero Tolerance” policy now make all approaches at the border, including requests for asylum, illegal, and therefore subject to detention and separation.

EGYPT:Police detained a Coptic photographer for having a water bottle during the month of Ramadan, among the latest reports of Christians harassed for not observing the Muslim daytime fast.

SPAIN has sacked its national team manager two days before its 2018 World Cup campaign in Russia begins.

IRAQ: Promised U.S. aid has failed to reach non-Muslim communities devastated by ISIS, reports Iraq’s Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda, as a U.S. House subcommittee prepares for a Thursday hearing on the delay.

SYRIA:A State Department spokesperson provided a statement to WORLD following our Monday story on Christians and Yazidis forced from northwestern Syria by Turkish-led forces:

‎The humanitarian situation and‎ reports of abuses in Afrin remain a concern. The United States continues to call on all relevant actors operating in the northwest, including Turkey, Russia, the Syrian regime, and armed groups to provide unfettered humanitarian access‎, protect civilians, and allow for the safe and voluntary return of displaced ‎people to their homes, including in Afrin city, as soon as possible.

Those who evacuated must be allowed freedom of movement, including the right to return home, and provided access to immediate humanitarian assistance and medical care.

We urge all parties to exercise restraint in its military actions and rhetoric, ensure ‎their operations are limited in scope and duration, ensure humanitarian aid continues, and avoid civilian casualties. We have repeatedly expressed our serious concern to Turkish officials regarding the situation in Afrin.‎

NOTE: Globe Trot will be on summer sabbatical while I am traveling overseas and recharging. It will return July 16.

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Hawkdriver

Steve SoCal

Why does this say "Trump and Kim did not address human rights during the summit"? Trump said that he did bring up human rights in their talks, although it was secondary to denuclearization.

Of course dealing with Kim Jong Un with success if far from a foregone conclusion, but he is the only person there to deal with at this point. We also have to realize that the US side has to be shrewd and communicate with him in ways that will make progress and not just blow the talks sky high from the outset. It seems like the alternatives to these talks are not very pretty at all after years of allowing North Korea to pursue its nuclear and missile technology, so I'm all for encouraging the progress that appears to be taking place rather than just criticizing it.

I understand that we do, however, have to help the President and his advisors keep their eyes on the ball when it comes to issues such as forced labor camps, abuse of Christians, and lack of freedom in North Korea. I know that "World Magazine" will be a part of that process.

In case you didn't watch the news conference President Trump gave after the signing, there was brief mention of human rights and of the plight of Christians in North Korea as issues that need to be addressed. Franklin Graham was also mentioned by the president in this context, so I would presume he has some awareness of these grave issues.

Laura W

Posted: Sat, 06/16/2018 01:10 am

I hope someone has the guts to discipline that Egyptian officer for detaining the man. Whatever they may think about drinking the water (which doesn't seem to be illegal under civil law either), it doesn't sound like they had evidence that he even intended to drink any before sundown.